Stuffed Acorn Squash
Photo by Lynne Calamia
ACTIVE TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Software
- 4 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) acorn squash
- 28 grams unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 227 grams ground pork (8 ounces)
- 6 grams kosher salt, divided
- 30 grams chopped onion (1/4 cup)
- 30 grams chopped celery (1/4 cup)
- 30 grams chopped carrot (1/4 cup)
- 112 grams white wine (1/2 cup)
- 15 grams sherry vinegar (1 tablespoon)
- 227 grams cooked rice 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped
- 35 grams toasted pine nuts (1/4 cup)
- 2 grams dried oregano
- 1 gram dried thyme (1/2 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 2 grams Freshly ground black pepper (1 teaspoon)
Procedure
- Heat oven to 400ºF. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cut 1 inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each squash. Set squash on the prepared sheet pan and set aside.
- Place an 11-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl the pan to coat. Add the ground pork and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove the meat to a small bowl and set aside. Add the remaining olive oil, onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until they begin to soften, another 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and sherry vinegar and let simmer until almost evaporated, 2-3 minutes.
- Return the pork to the pan along with the cooked rice, spinach, pine nuts, oregano, thyme, sage, remaining salt and the pepper. Stir to combine and heat thoroughly, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and divide the mixture evenly among the squash, Top each squash with its lid, and bake until the squash is tender, about 1 hour. Serve immediately.